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"At the first conference of employees in the Consumer and Commercial Relations Ministry, the Honourable Sidney Handleman presented a survey of consumer attitudes taken in North Bay recently. Aside from revealing that the vast majority of consumer protection law, the most startling revelation concerns the attitude of young people towards the business. That concerns me. It should concern small business people even more. What is even more startling is the result of the question, "How much profit out of each dollar do you think food chains make after taxes"? The answers covered the gambit from nothing to $2. One food chain in its 1976 annual report stated that "earnings per dollar of sales were less that 8-10 of a cent, compared with one cent per dollar in the same period last year..."

"Chicken thieves got away with between 39 and 40 fowl from the barn of Thomas Stewart, 10th line, West Gwillimbury. The pilferers had evidently used a car or light truck in their night prowling, as the marks of tires were plainly visible on the side of the road. It was thought they made their way along a gulley running from the vicinity of the car through a field to the back of the barn. The sound of a fire alarm bell for the first time in many months cause excitement in the town. It was soon discovered, however, that a representative of the Fire Underwriters Association was in town on one of his periodic visits and had put in a fire alarm, calling out the brigade for a test run. The inspector was reported to have been satisfied with the prompt and business-like response."

"Norm Barron, owner of Barron's Dominion Hardware, has retired after 32 years in the hardware business. The store was founded by Norm's father Harry Barron in 1932 in a location now occupied by John Gaus Interiors and N.S. Smith Real Estate. The elder Mr. Barron, a native of Brampton, had been a foreman at the Peace Foundry before making a move to Bradford and starting in the hardware business. Norm helped his father part-time in the store until the Second World War broke out and he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. He was stationed in the western provinces during the war and taught aerial photography, and while out west met and married his wife Carol.After the war, Norm returned to Bradford and entered into full partnership with his father."

Dimock's Garage was an important business in Bradford in the early 1930's when this photo was taken. Harold Iceton, who submitted the photo writes: "Mrs. Al Dimock, affectionately known as Minnie to her many friends (gave me this photo). The photo dates back to 1931 when Albert Dimock first started up business in Bradford with his young son Hedley. They were soon joined by his wife Minnie and daughter Eileen. This building has now been demolished and replaced by the Royal Bank Building.

"This week's historical photo was submitted by Lew Campbell of RR 2, Bradford, whose father, W.L. Campbell (behind the counter) operated the drug store on Holland Street now occupied Ritchie's Variety Store. Fred C. Cook, standing in front of the counter, worked for Mr. Campbell for several years, intending to become a druggist. But he went into the insurance business instead. Mr. Campbell owned the drug store in Bradford for 57 years. He graduated from the Ontario College of Pharmacy in 1891, a silver medalist in his class."

"This week's historical photo was submitted by Lew Campbell of RR 2, Bradford, whose father, W.L. Campbell (behind the counter) operated the drug store on Holland Street now occupied Ritchie's Variety Store. Fred C. Cook, standing in front of the counter, worked for Mr. Campbell for several years, intending to become a druggist. But he went into the insurance business instead. Mr. Campbell owned the drug store in Bradford for 57 years. He graduated from the Ontario College of Pharmacy in 1891, a silver medalist in his class."

"On the eve of his 92nd birthday, Tuesday, Bill Ruffett told the story of the booming ice industry of yesteryear. Bell Ewart - "I started on the ice when I was 12 yeards old. Father had rented the old hotel on the south side of the dock of 1897 for one dollar a month. After the old sawmill had burned down, the hotel went out of business. I remember well tearing out the bar. It was then I started to lead a horse on an ice plow for 50 cents a day for the Belle Ewart Ice Company. It was the only ice company there then and was across the road from my home where Sheppard's Marina is today. I remember the winter of 1906 was very mild and the big lake never froze over until nearly spring. The railroad was still here, you see, from the era of meeting the Lake Simcoe excursion boats. It was then ice companies from Jackson's Point came here, partly because of the railroad. Their only transportation there, for ice to Toronto, was by street car. I had anywhere from 60 to 80 men working for me at one time, all farmer's boys."

Well-trained, service-minded employees. A friendly atmosphere. Quality products at competitive prices. Those are part of the "Homecare" promise - but they have always been the goals at Spence Homecare, even when the business was primarily a lumber yard. Spence Lumber was founded in 1919 by James Spence, on the site of what is now MacDonald's Restaurant and South Simcoe Square. James was followed by his son, A.W., then grandson, Keith Noble. Now it's the 4th generation, great grandson Ron Noble, who runs the operation. Spence Lumber weathered the Roaring Twenties, the Dirty Thirties, the war years, the post-war baby boom, the changes of the '60s and '70s, at its old site. But in the '80s, the increasing trend towards home renovation, and "do-it-yourself" repairs led to a decision to move, and expand. The old retail space, notes Ron, covered only 800 to 1,000 square feet. "We were kind of land-locked, and there was no real growth potential." In 1900, the store moved to its current site at 90 Dissette,where it has 6,000 square feet of retail space, and over four acres of lumber yard - and joined 160 other stores in Ontario under the "Homecare" banner. "It was always a traditional lumber yard, whereas now I would consider it...a building centre," Ron says, explaining the change. The Centre offers "a complete range of everything you need for building, renovating, decorating." The transition from lumber yard to building supply centre has been a smooth one, he says, helped in part by the affiliation with Homecare, "which gives us volume buying power - which, in turn, can be turned over to the consumer," as a competitive prices. But the best part has been the consumer response. "When we moved to this location, the support we've had from our customers and friends was just about the nicest thing." To say thank-you to those customers, Spence Homecare celebrated its 75th anniversary, October 14th to 16th, with a special sales, lucky draws and a charity barbecue.

Description : These days, there are very few businesses that have been around for 100 years. The Bradford law firm of Evans and Evans is one of those few. Founded in 1894 by T.W.W. Evans, the firm was augmented by his sons, Charles and Brock in the 1920s. Today, "Evans and Evans' refers to grandsons Thomas and Robert. On Thursday, the law firm, which has been in the same building for more than 75 years, opened its doors to family, friends, clients and celebrated its first 100 years. There were photos on display that not only chronicled the history of the Evans family, but the history of Bradford and West Gwillimburry, from turn-of-the-century lacrosse teams, to Bradford's centennial celebrations in 1957, to the sod turning for the new library and West Gwillimbury Administration centre.

This is William L. Campbell with the baby Lewis (Lew) Campbell in front of their home at 129 Barrie Street. W.L. Campbell operated a drugstore on Holland Street for many years in Bradford. His descendants still live in the area.